Agenda item

To consider a proposal to set up a cross-party working group to compile the necessary submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England and develop and recommend proposals to full Council.

RECOMMENDATION That Council:

1)              note the arrangements for a review of electoral arrangements by the Local Government Boundary Review for England;

2)               agree to setting up a cross-party, Member level Working Group on the basis set out in paragraphs 4.3-4.5 of the report; and

3)               agree the Terms of Reference of the Electoral Review Working Group as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.   

The Council considered a report regarding Electoral Review Arrangements

It was proposed by John Halsall and seconded by John Kaiser that the recommendations set out within the report be agreed.

John Halsall commented that he had hoped to be able to put this item forward with cross party support, however, the Leader of the Opposition had declined this.  He believed that if consensus was reached within the Council, it would carry a lot of weight with the Boundary Commission.  John Halsall went on to add that the recommendation related to the establishment of a cross party Working Group.  To ensure all the groups were represented, a Working Group of 18 would have been required which was impractical.  He had therefore asked the Independent and Labour Group to share a vote to enable a Working Group of 9 and political balance was preserved.   The current undertaking was to consider the shape of the Borough in 2028, which was an officer exercise based on currently anticipated development, and also to determine the number of Councillors that the Council believed should be elected.

Rachel Burgess was of the view that a Working Group would not be impartial because the ruling group would always take forward their view, due to the number of votes they have on the Working Group.  She emphasised that the Boundary Commission did not place weight on what the Council agreed, but on the quality of evidence provided.  Rachel Burgess stated that the review had been known about for some time, but it felt as if they were being rushed into the Working Group with little time to consider the information.

Clive Jones indicated that the Liberal Democrats supported the establishment of a cross party Working Group to compile a submission to the Boundary Commission.  There was a need for wards to have roughly equal numbers of electors and the new wards to reflect local communities.  He emphasised that consultation of residents must be balanced.  Clive Jones stated that he felt the Working Group process to be rushed and that the Working Group should be made up of Members with equal votes.  He questioned the quorum being five Members, which gave the potential opportunity for no Opposition involvement.  Clive Jones emphasised that should consensus not be reached a minority report would be submitted.

Voting was as detailed below:

RESOLVED:  That

1)    the arrangements for a review of electoral arrangements by the Local Government Boundary Review for England be noted;

2)    the setting up a cross-party, Member level Working Group on the basis set out in paragraphs 4.3-4.5 of the report be agreed to;

3)     the Terms of Reference of the Electoral Review Working Group as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be agreed.